A Semester of Smørrebrød

When in Copenhagen do as the Danes do.

There’s something magical about winters in Copenhagen. The clouds brew over the quiet, empty streets of the city and the Danes sit snuggly indoors by candlelight sipping endless amounts of warm coffee and consuming innumerable amounts of pastries. Or at least that’s what I have been doing this past winter! It’s very hard not to be indoors, where the sun sets at 4pm and the Danish winds pull me towards the call of warmth exuding, floral and candle decorated entrances of Hygge cafes, furthered by a penchant for finding the absent street population and the chicest Copenhagen cafe.

Danes are notorious for cycling everywhere in their city. With its flat landscape and special biking lanes, its every cyclist’ dream. No matter the degree of snow and sleet, the cycling must go on. Upon landing in the middle of a Danish winter, I resolved, I would eventually get a bike, and only take the metro until the winter is over. Yet, there never really is a perfect time it’s cloudy, it’s rainy (sideways, most of the time) and or it’s windy (very, very, windy, especially compared to Sydney – make sure you protect your extremities!). In short, I have only of late purchased and started riding a bike. The weather is of course getting more and more beautiful and to those of you coming for the Spring Semester, do get yourselves a bike ASAP!

The onset of spring or more specifically the sun, unveils an entirely different city unto itself. Both the canals and streets suddenly bustle with people eating and drinking in the sun. A good beach day here starts at 16 degrees! It is really unfortunate to think that the end of exchange is near, with exams on the horizon. Being here for the past four months, the verdict is in that Copenhagen is one of those cities, that takes your breath away especially, when the sun is out.

Exchange has truly been the most enjoyable experience. I have met so many people from various corners of the world, I’ve learnt Danish (a language in which the majority of letters in a given word, are not pronounced and speaking it, is likened to having a potato in your throat), I’ve worked at a student bar making coffee and serving beer (without an RSA/barista certificate), eaten way too many baked goods, grød and smørrebrød, seen the Danish Royal family, attended a trance concert in a church, fallen into moving traffic and have of course had the opportunity to travel. University is only a portion of it, the possibilities of travel and food in Europe are endless.

My final parting advice to you, make sure to learn how to say rødgrød med fløde!